Soft vanilla cookies with chocolate sandwich-cookie pieces, white chocolate and a little tang from cream cheese.
A softer take on cookies and cream
These cookies keep the familiar chocolate-and-vanilla combination but add cream cheese to the dough. The result is intended to be soft and tender, with dark cookie pieces and small pockets of white chocolate. They suit a cookie tray or a simple dessert plate without frosting or decorations.
The dough needs an hour in the refrigerator. That pause is part of the recipe, rather than an optional shortcut: a cool dough is easier to portion and gives the butter time to firm up before the cookies reach the oven.
Ingredients and useful notes
Use the firm cream cheese sold in a block. Spreadable tub products can contain more moisture and are not a direct swap here. Both the butter and cream cheese should give under light pressure without looking oily or runny.
Keep the sandwich-cookie filling when chopping. Aim for small chunks rather than fine crumbs so the finished cookies have distinct dark pieces. Regular cookies are the starting point; extra-filled versions change the amount of filling in the dough.
For the flour, a scale is the clearest option. If measuring by cup, loosen the flour, spoon it into the cup and level the top. Packing flour directly from the bag can turn a soft cookie into a dry one.
How to handle the dough
Mix the butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then add the egg and vanilla. Once the dry ingredients go in, keep the mixer low and stop promptly. Fold the chunky additions by hand so they stay visible.
Portion cold dough into 24 pieces and flatten the tops slightly. Use a cool baking sheet for every round. Putting dough onto a hot sheet starts melting the butter before baking and makes spreading less predictable.
The doneness cues to watch
The cookies should stay fairly pale, with set edges and tops that no longer look wet. Their middles will firm as they cool. Lift one only after it has rested on the tray; moving it straight from the oven can break the soft center.
If the first tray spreads more than expected, chill the remaining dough longer and check that the sheet is cool. If the dough is very firm after a longer chill, let it stand just until it can be portioned; do not warm it until greasy.
Serving and storage
Serve once the white chocolate has cooled and the crumb has settled. A glass of milk, coffee or unsweetened tea balances the sweetness. For a mixed cookie plate, keep the portions the same size so the tray looks tidy.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days as a conservative choice for this untested cream-cheese dough. Let a serving lose its refrigerator chill before eating. Freeze cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment for up to 2 months for best quality.
For a holiday version, see Fireworks Cookies and Cream Cookies.
Cookies and Cream Cookies with Cream Cheese
Equipment
- two baking sheets
- parchment paper
- electric mixer
- Medium cookie scoop or kitchen scale
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113 g; softened, not melted
- 4 oz full-fat block cream cheese 113 g; softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 210 g; spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 12 regular chocolate sandwich cookies about 135 g; filling included; chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 85 g
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter, cream cheese and sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl, until smooth and a little lighter.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 4 oz full-fat block cream cheese, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the egg and vanilla just until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl.1 large egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt separately. Mix into the wet ingredients on low speed only until the last flour streaks disappear.1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine salt
- Fold in the chopped sandwich cookies and white chocolate chips with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.12 regular chocolate sandwich cookies, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Divide the cold dough into 24 portions, about 35 g each. Roll loosely and flatten slightly into thick disks. Space about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one tray at a time on the center rack for 11–13 minutes per tray, about 24 minutes total. The edges should feel set and the tops should lose their wet shine; the centers will still be soft. Do not wait for deep browning. Keep the second tray chilled.
- Leave each tray undisturbed for 10 minutes, then move the cookies to a rack. Allow another 10 minutes to cool before serving. The total time budgets 20 minutes of cooling after the last tray.
Notes
Refrigerate airtight up to 4 days. Freeze cooled cookies up to 2 months for best quality; thaw covered in the refrigerator.